St. Tammany Planning and Zoning official steps down after sexual battery arrest

A Slidell area resident who resigned from the Slidell Memorial Hospital board after his arrest on a sexual battery charge has also stepped down as chairman of the St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission.

David Mannella, 58, submitted his resignation from the commission Wednesday afternoon, Parish President Pat Brister said. Mannella was Brister's appointee on the panel, which makes recommendations to the parish council on rezoning cases, new subdivisions and other land-use matters.

Brister had called for Mannella's resignation after his arrest by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.

The sheriff's office said it received a complaint Aug. 29 regarding an alleged sexual battery incident that occurred the previous day. The 22-year-old woman who accused Mannella told deputies the crime took place after a social gathering in a Slidell-area subdivision, the department said.

Mannella was released from the parish jail on $10,000 bond on Tuesday night. He resigned as vice chairman of the hospital's board of commissioners on Wednesday.

Mannella has not responded to an email seeking comment about his arrest.